english bulldog
HISTORICAL SUMMARY
The English Bulldog was first classified as such in the 1630s, although there was earlier mention of similar types called "bandogs", today a term reserved for a type of fighting dog. Used initially for bull-baiting, the English Bulldog also battled its way through dog fighting, but after 1835 it began to evolve into the shorter, stockier-faced version we know today.
Country of Origin: Great Britain.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Soft coat; stocky, short, broad, powerful and compact. Massive head, quite wide in proportion to size, but no part should be in excess in proportion to others, in face of short; muzzle broad, thick and slightly upturned. Dogs showing breathing difficulties are highly undesirable.
BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT: The English Bulldog is alert, brave, loyal, reliable, courageous, fierce in appearance, but endowed with an affectionate nature.
HEAD: Seen in profile, appears very high and moderately short from occiput to nose. The forehead is flat, with skin over and around the head, slightly loose and finely wrinkled, without excess, neither prominent nor hanging over the face. The face, from the front of the cheekbones to the nose, is relatively short. The skin may be slightly wrinkled. The distance from the inner corner of the eye to the extreme tip of the nose should not be less than the distance from the tip of the nose to the lower labial commissure.
CRANIAL REGION
Skull : Large in circumference. Seen from the front, it appears high from the corner of the lower jaw to the occiput; also wide and square.
Stop : Set.
FACIAL REGION
Snout: Short, wide, curving upwards and very deep from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth. Wrinkle over the nostril, if present, whole or incomplete, should never negatively affect or obscure the eyes or nostril.
Truffle: Nose and nostrils large, broad and black, never liver, red or brown.
Jaws and Teeth: Jaws wide, strong and square. The mandible projects slightly forward from the upper jaw, moderately curved upwards. Jaws broad and square, with six small incisors regularly inserted between the canines in a straight line. Canines well separated. Large, strong teeth should never be seen with the mouth closed. When viewed from the front, the mandible should join directly and parallel to the upper jaw.
Cheeks: Rounded and extended laterally beyond each side of the eyes.
Eyes: Round, of moderate size, neither set deeply nor prominent. Very dark in color, almost black, not showing white when looking straight ahead.
Ears : Set high, higher and as far away from the eyes as possible. Small and thin. Pink ears is correct.
NECK : Of moderate length, thick, deep and strong. Well arched at the back, with some loose skin, thick and wrinkled at the throat, forming a small dewlap on each side.
TRUNK
Topline: Slightly drooping backwards, behind the shoulders, from where the vertebral column is directed towards the loin, descending again, abruptly, to the tail, forming a slight arch, typical of the breed.
Back: Short, strong, broad in the shoulders.
Chest : Broad, prominent and deep. Ribs well sprung back. Round and deep chest, well let down between the forelegs. Ribs not flat on the sides, but well rounded.
TAIL: Set low, protruding and straight, then sloping downwards. Round, smooth, without fringes or coarse hairs. Moderate in length, shorter than long, thick at the root, tapering rapidly to a fine point.
MEMBERS
FOREQUARTERS : Legs short in proportion to the hind legs, but not so short that the back appears long or hinders the dog's activity.
Shoulders: Wide, oblique and deep, very powerful and muscular, giving the appearance of being joined to the body.
Elbows: Long and set well away from the ribs
Pasterns: Short, straight and strong .
Paws: Straight and turned very slightly outward; medium in size and moderately round. Compact and thick fingers, well apart, with prominent and high joints.
HINDQUARTERS : Large and muscular legs, slightly longer in proportion to the forequarters. Legs long and muscular from loin to hocks.
Knees: Turned very slightly outward.
Hocks: Slightly angled, well let down.
Feet : Round and compact. Compact and thick fingers, well apart, with prominent and high joints.
GAIT /MOVEMENT: Appearing to walk with short, quick steps, on fingertips. The hind legs do not rise very much, seeming to graze the ground. When the dog moves quickly, one or the other shoulder moves forward. Flawless movement is of paramount importance.
COAT
Hair : Fine in texture, short, close and smooth (hard only because it is short and close, but not wire).
COLOR: Fawn, brindle or not, with or without white spots.
Coat without white spots:
Brindle: Fawn coat with dark brindle grooves giving a “tiger” appearance, the heavily brindle coat should not hide the fawn undertone mask. A black mask must be present. Limited white spots present or not.
Fawn: Uniform coat, light fawn to dark fawn, sometimes showing a fading color, with or without a black mask, masked coat being preferred. Limited white spots present or not.
Coat with white spots:
Brindle: with moderate to intense amount of white spots
Fawn: with moderate or intense amount of white spots.
For all coats, the nose is black, never brown or blue.
WEIGHT: Males: 25 kg; Females: 23kg
FAULTS
Any deviation from the terms of this standard should be considered a fault and penalized in exact proportion to its severity and its effects on the health and well being of the dog.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
• Aggressiveness or excessive shyness.
• Any dog that shows any sign of physical or behavioral anomaly must be disqualified.
GRADES
• Males must have both testicles, of normal appearance, well let down and accommodated in the scrotum.
• Only clinically and functionally healthy dogs with typical breed conformation should be used for breeding.